1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to installation tools, and more particularly to tools for installing end terminals into a connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In various electrical and electronic applications the use of multi-pin connectors is frequently practiced. Typically such connectors are of the rear insertion and rear release configuration having an elastic insulator provided with a plurality of longitudinal cavities each including a metallic retaining clip provided with inwardly bent tabs to engage the edges of a contact. Thus each time a lead is installed into a particular cavity the contact end thereon must be pressed through the gap between the tabs until engagement is made. Similarly, to extract the leads the customary practice is to advance a tubular tool until the spring tabs are spread. In each instance certain amounts of manipulative difficulty arises as result of the close fit between the lead insulation and the insulator plug. In the past tools like those described in the National Aerospace Standard 1664 have been used for such insertion and retraction, the tool being generally conformed as a plastic hollow structure split along one lateral surface. Alternatively, a plier assembly provided with split tubular end extensions has been utilized for this purpose like that described in Military Standard MS3483 (Navy).
The foregoing tools, while suited for their purpose, do not avail to the user all of the benefits of manipulative convenience. For example, the first tool is necessarily flexible since insertion of the lead must occur through flexible parting of the slit. The second tool is essentially conformed as a pair of pliers with the attendant requirement of a necessary grasp which renders manipulation more cumbersome.
As the pin density in the connector increases the manipulative difficulty to install each lead also increases. Thus a device which renders lead installation more convenient has been heretofore sought and it is a device of this kind that is disclosed herein.